Koizumi Targets Deflation
As Economic Enemy No. 1

TOKYO -- The Japanese government, under intense pressure to fix its stumbling economy and markets, has officially targeted a new enemy: deflation.

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said Wednesday his top priority was fighting the debilitating fall in prices that many blame for crippling the banking system and the economy. He told his Cabinet ministers to come up with deflation-fighting measures by the end of February.